Ethan Davis with pass reception and run vs Bradley Central on October 22, 2021.

Ethan Davis Scores 5 Touchdowns As Rhea County Wins 48-42 with Late Touchdown and Interception to Secure Win

10/22/21

Cleveland, Tn -- Rhea County made a visit to Bradley Central on Senior Night for the Bears. In a clash of very good teams, it was the 7-2 Eagles who gave Bears their first loss of the season, by a 48-42 score. Eagles next play Coffee County for Senior Night on October 29, 2021.

Eagles 48 Bears 42

Eagles wasted no time getting on the scoreboard against Bracley Central with sophomore running back Ethan Davis returning the opening kickoff to the 38 and then taking the first carry of the game to the end zone with 62 yard touchdown carry. Cole Ruehling added extra point kick for 7-0 lead with 14 seconds gone in first quarter. Eagles defense stepped up and forced a punt that put Eagles in position on their 35 yard line with 8:36 left in quarter. Eagles next drive was not a one play but multiple plays that eat up 4:32 minutes as Eagles slowly moved the ball down to 9 yard line, where Briley Mayberry found paydirt and Rhea took lead to 14-0 after Ruehling extra point.

But Bears also proved they had big strike ability as quarterbacck Aiden McClary found J'Alan Terry for 55 yard touchdown pass for touchdown. Five plays into the drive, McClary found Terry on a short pass coming down the line of scrimmage and he came down the line, made a nice cut and outraced Eagle defenders to the end zone. Grant Haney tacked on extra point for 14-7 score with 3:03 left in first quarter.

Davis ran the kickoff to the 30 yard line for Eagles. Bear defense dropped Martin for one yard loss, setting up Eagle at the 29 yard line. Ethan Davis took the handoff and found a crease in the defense and raced to the endzone untouched with no Bear defender in sight as they crossed the goal line. Ruehling added extra point and Eagles had 21-7 lead with 2:15 left in quarter and Davis had over 200 all purpose yards for the quarter. Bradley put up another score for the quarter as Wayne Dayton took the kickoof on the 26 yard line and raced 74 yards down the sidelines, leaving three defenders unable to catch him. Haney kick and the Bears trailed 21-14 in a 35 point first quarter and one had to wonder how many points would be scored in the game. Ethan Davis took the kickoff back to the 27 yard line. Two carries later, Eagles were at 47. As first quarter ended, Briley Mayberry had nice 16 yard run down to the 36 of Bradley. Davis took the ball down to 25 and another first down. From there the offensive line did great job of pushing a majority of defenders to the left and the other two went with Davis to the right, which left big hole up the middle, and Crowe raced untouched to the endzone. Cole Ruehling added the successful kick for 28-14 lead for Eagles with 10:37 left in second quarter.

Bears began play at 34 after kick went out of bounds there on kickoff. Aiden McClary started drive with nice run for first and Bears received another 15 yards on personal foul to move into Eagle territory at 41 yard line. From there McClary went too deep as overthrow was snatched out of air by Jadden Pankey at 17 and he returned the interception to the 31 yard line to setup Eagles with 9:31 left in the half. Eagles made a decision to go on 4th down with less than a yard to go. Quarterback Martin earned the first down with 9 yard run and almost had a touchdown as he broke the stacked line but was caught before he could make the break. Eagles faced their second 4th and 1 At the 32 of Bradley. Mayberry had nice 8 yard run down to 24 of Bears. Davis had the quick hitter up the middle and raced 32 yards for his 4th touchdown of the half. Ruehling kick gave Eagles huge 35-14 lead with 5:47 left in the half.

Bears brought the kickoff back to their 35 with 5:45 left in half. Wilson went to work for the Bears with three runs for 20 yards to setup Bears at Eagles' 45. Linebacker Rex Pendergrass had nice tackle in backfield as McClary faked handoff and did not fool the Eagles, who sacked him. Bears went back to Wilson, this time with short screen pass that he took down to 36 for first down. It was nice Wilson run before McClary went deep to Landon Scott for apparent touchdown. After a huddle the Referees called offensive interference and added a personal foul foul on disagreement with call and Bears went from touchdown to standing on their own 41 yard line with 2nd and 33 situation with 3 minutes left in half. Somehow J'Alan Terry slipped down the sidelines unguarded and only the fact he had to do a 360 on the catch, losing his balance and falling down prevented the touchdown, but the first down was made. Wilson broke through the right side of the line and raced untouched to the endzone for the touchdown on the next play. Kick by Haney was good and Bears cut margin to 35-21 with 2:32 left in half.

Ethan Davis returned kickoff to 22 but block in back put the ball back to 12 yard line. On second down, Martin dropped back to throw long and then as he evaded defenders he stepped back into endzone and was overrun with defenders and sacked for safety with 1:38 left in half. Eagles kicked from their 20 and Bradley returned ball into Eagle terriroty before block-in-back brought ball back to the Bears' 32 yard line.

McClary made first down on nice run from pocket to the 44 and his next run from pocket only netted 2 yards. On third down McClary completed nice screen to Marcus Goree, but holding penalty brough a nice gain down to 20 back to 44 of Eagles. Pendergrass had nice tackle for loss to setup second and 12. McClary had nice designed run down to the 30 yard line for first down with 40 seonds left in half. Another pass completion to Goree put the ball at the 18 and then pass to Wilson setup Bears inside the 2 yard line, where Wilson ran in for score with 7 seconds left in half. Kick pushed the score to 35-30 in favor of Eagles. That was the halftime score in a 65 point first half with only one punt. Ethan Davis had 19 carries for 243 yards in first half.

Bradley began their third quarter possession on their 37 but lost 5 on first play procedure penalty. Wilson had nice catch in the flats, which he took out to 44. J'Alan Terry had nice run down to the 13 before McClary hit Howard at the four yard line, but Eagle defense forced the fumble and Drew Fisher jumped on lose ball at 4 yard line. Eagles were forced into their first punt of the night on the series and Bears 33 yard line. Wilson had huge gain from 36 of Bears to 38 of Eagles to move Bears into Eagle territory. On next play McClary took over to the left side and split two defenders on the 10 yard line on his way to the 38 yard touchdown. Eagles Bracket and Luke Henry made stop of two point run by Bears and Bears had 36-35 lead with 4:19 left in third.

Rex Pendergrass brought the kickoff back to 45 from the 20 yard line. Bear defense forced a three and out punt from the 48 yard line. Bears setup at the 24 yard line for second drive of the half. McClary hit on a couple of big passes and Wilson had nice run to take ball down to 10 yard line as third quarter ended. Eagles defense stiffened, forcing a 4th and 1 attempt by Bears and McClary rolled out and took ball down to 4 yard line for first and goal. McClary ran in for touchdown and Bears picked up personal foul that occured after touchdown and was enforced on extra point attempt that sailed wide to leave Bears up 42-35.

With 9:51 Eagles began their possession on their 24 yard line. Eagles Ethan Davis and Kaleb Martin combined for 29 yard pass up to the 46 yard line of Bradley on 3rd and 9 with 8:23 left in game. Martin had nice 11 yard run down to 29 yardline. Eagles went back to air for 25 yard gain to Briley Mayberry down to 17 yard line. Davis squirted through three defenders and then into endzone to bring Eagles within one. Ruehling's kick tied the game 42-42 with 5:44 left in game.

Mertens returned the Eagle kick to the 22 and horsecollar penalty took Bears to 37. Bears got first down across midfield at the 49 of Eagles. With 2:48 left in game, Eagles forced a punt which they fair caught at 20, but holding penalty took it back to 10 yard line. Mayberry had nice 9 yard run to give Eagles a first at 21 yard line. Davis followed that with 13 yard run for second first of the series. Next play Kaleb Martin went back and found Davis at the 40 yard line of Bradley and the defender somehow ended up with his back to Davis. Davis made the catch and outran two defenders to the end zone to score go-a-head touchdown with 1:23 left in game. Kick was no good and score remained 48-42.

Drew Fisher made nice tackle on Goree at the 25 yard line with 1:19 left in game. Bears were back on their 12 and McClary went deep but Bryce Dupre made the leapping interception at Eagles 46, to put Eagles in position to end the game. Davis ran down to 40 yard line to move the chains and the clock became the Bears enemy. Eagles took a knee and celebration began for the visiting Eagles.

RHEA COUNTY 407 YARDS RUSHING

RHEA COUNTY 120 YARDS PASSING

16 FIRST DOWNS 527 TOTAL YARDS

ETHAN DAVIS 29 CARRIES 284 YARDS

4 TOUCHDOWNS RUNNING

2 CATCHES 95 YARDS 1 TD

PANKEY & DUPRE INTERCEPTION

Fisher fumble recovery

KALEB MARTIN120 YDS PASSING 1 TD